I would like to point out that the ignore feature isn't inherently negative and has nothing whatever to do with censorship. Your feed is a list. Ignore keeps things out of it. If I, say, wanted to buy a used car, but I dislike red cars. I can go to a used car website, and ask it to filter out all of the red cars of the make and model in which I'm interested. There's nothing wrong with red; it's just not my taste. That's ignore. It's a way to build a feed. "I'm interested in such-and-such. I'm uninterested in thus-and-so. Show me everything in between." No one should feel bad ignoring another user, and no one should feel bad should it come to their attention that they happen to be ignored. Hell, I post from NYT all the time. Probably a lot of people find that annoying. Ignore me then. No big deal. No censorship.
I never said it WAS censorship. There are several definitions of censorship, but they all have one salient feature in common – a party C who keeps party A from communicating something to party B. “Ignore” does not fit this pattern. Hubski does not censor. (As far as I know, it doesn’t torture either…) I didn’t say “ignore” was a form of censorship – I said it was incompatible with my particular ethical standards. If I don’t follow a particular tag, I am exercising my disinterest in a topic or category of topics. If, on the other hand, I choose to “ignore” an individual I am effectively deciding that I don’t want to hear what that person has to say on any topic whatsoever. If I disagree with them on one topic – abracadabra! – they are banished from my universe. The loss, I think, is on the side of the person doing the banishing. I am not advocating for the policy’s repeal – I am simply saying that using “ignore” would violate my own particular standards. Even if the feed is choked with trivialities, that itself tells me something I would not know if I chose to confine myself to a handful of friends and narrow interests. You may, of course, do what you want. It’s a free… well, uh, abstract chunk of cyberspace.
Recently b_b mentioned to the rest of the Hubski team that he thought the term "ignore" wasn't appropriate because of the negative connotation. I tend to agree, it should be called something else, because it isn't a negative thing at all. I would be SHOCKED if I wasn't ignored by at least several people given the amount of music (original and otherwise) that I post to Hubski. I take absolutely no offense to this. All this said, I am pretty frugal in my ignoring ways. I tend to keep the ignoring for tags/domains and obvious spammers. I have muted maybe 2 people that weren't obvious spammer, they were just obvious assholes. FWIW, I really enjoyed your observations, thank you for taking the time to write this. I don't expect that everyone that visits/uses Hubski will develop the same types of relationships, but many will. I also think that with time and expansion of our user base, we will see a number of different communities. There will definitely be bubbles of different communities throughout Hubski, just as there are IRL. We have some interesting ideas in the works right now. I'm excited for the future and I'm glad that you are a part of our "community" emcadwaladr! -We are better for it imo.If I don’t follow a particular tag, I am exercising my disinterest in a topic or category of topics. If, on the other hand, I choose to “ignore” an individual I am effectively deciding that I don’t want to hear what that person has to say on any topic whatsoever.
This isn't so. It simply means that their posts will not make it in to your feed. They can still comment on your posts and you can still seek out their content, should you so desire but it will no longer be in your feed etc. The danger of letting people build protective walls around themselves is that they will be tempted to do just that. Every time I hear the phrase “Hubski community” I mentally shake my head. To me, a community is a group of people with tangible interdependencies. Whether they like each other or not, they have to get along. I have seen a certain level of emotional support offered up on Hubski from time to time, but if my car dies on the interstate I will probably not be logging in and begging members for immediate help.
-I feel a sense of community on Hubski that I have rarely felt IRL or online. While I cannot call lil to come help me if I have a flat tire, it's due to proximity and not digitality(I made up a word). Same goes for ButterflyEffect, b_b, flagamuffin, _refugee_, steve, theadvancedapes, humanodon, insomniasexx and others that I have befriended on the site but otherwise would have never met. I'd gladly help them in a bind and I'd like to think they'd reciprocate should I need help when my car dies on the interstate.
I can certainly attest to that. Also, you are such a wonderful "long distance" pal that I wouldn't be surprised if you called AAA and had them come pick me up. (do they have AAA in Canada?)I can pump up a deflated ego if necessary.
I'm honoured (note the Canadian spelling) to be your story. Of course I had to look up head canon. It seems to mean a story that explodes in your head, but doesn't exist elsewhere. Is that it?
Yes, except mine does exist elsewhere. Deep, deep within the dusty pages of a Scivener tomb, one can find a file. In that file, a story transcending the internet, fantasy, and the love hub, is being written. Prepare yourselves. HUBSKI. Coming...whenever I finish it. Maybe I'll just do regular updates. But it's actually happening! The cat's out of the bag.
THIS IS AWESOME NEWS. "Love Hub?" Nice... edit: I feel bad for this thread, we've really hi-jacked it. lil, would it bother you if something like this occurred on your blog?
Oh, I caught the reference immediately. I'm also a fan of the sticker.
Before you go and rewrite it, you should know that she splits her time between Canada and the USofA -(florida is still the US, right?)
I'm late to this party (as I often find is the case these days) but my 2 cents is that I really feel like a lot of the reactions we've had to the "ignore" feature is unwarranted. It's like when I meet someone who I can tell is really eager to be friends, even though we just met. It makes me wary and suspicious. When I was new here I didn't expect anyone to give my comments any weight and so I started participating in stuff and before long I met people who are also interested in writing and music and art and that I suddenly was forming relationships with users, not usernames. I now have two pen pals (well, e-vox pals) and various other people I communicate with outside of "the public" such as it is on hubski. I've asked for advice on things, earnestly and I've gotten honest advice back. Hell, some of you guys have even tried to help me find work. Social dynamics are nerve-wracking in face to face situations and for a lot of people it lends itself toward an "I don't give a fuck" kind of attitude. That's fine, but not giving a fuck about what other people think also means not giving a fuck about how one's own presence affects others, which at the end of the day does not lend itself to building relationships. Hubski. Sit down and give a fuck: hubski might just start to give a fuck back.
lil, please add this to the Hubski slogans, it's amazing. Humanodon, I always look forward to your comments/posts on the site and I look forward to the drinks and discussions that we will undoubtedly have IRL someday.Hubski. Sit down and give a fuck: hubski might just start to give a fuck back.
I just made you and humanodon editors of the amazing slogan list so perhaps one of you can add it. I added eightbitsamurai as well because the last one tng suggested was by 8bit: "8 out of 10/would hubski again"
and a reminder to tng to mention to the team kb's suggestion: by kleinbl00 78 days ago · link · save · +!
You know, you ought to start a rotating list of these slogans that pops up on the "about" page or something.
Dude, I'm literally about to sit down in the studio and try to create something. If you have any words, even one line... PM me. Actually, preferably no more than 4 lines, so long as you don't mind me treating them like clay.
Thanks for the clarification on “ignore” – though I still stand on the principle if not on the detail. When human beings devise rules to regulate behavior there are almost always benefits, drawbacks, and unintended consequences – good and bad. “Ignore” is just such a rule. I should admit, too, that my viewing habits are so chaotic that fine-tuning my feed isn’t even a concern. I was probably a little harsh to b_b. If so, I apologize. With regard to the community idea – I’m not knocking what you have. There are some very interesting and likable people on here and I, too, care about them. It is just that the reality of online associations is that you can easily adopt quiet a low threshold of tolerance and get by with it. If a coworker says something really irritating – I can’t just mute him. Here, one can. This is a source of ongoing mild anxiety for me, as I take all sorts of positions that I know are liable to irritate people – not for the purpose of irritating them but because I believe the ideas are valid. If someone says “bad idea -- here’s why…” Bravo! A rational discourse is born! If they think “I don’t like this idea and don’t care to discuss it,” that’s ok too. At least they haven’t closed the door. If, on the other hand, they think “e.m.c. believes X so he’s an idiot I’m going to ignore,” yeah, that bothers me. We live in a world in which that happens all too often. Personally, I know many decent and worthwhile people who entertain what I think are some pretty weak ideas. They don’t merit my contempt because I think that they are wrong. On the other hand, I shouldn’t whine about the consequences of being me. I like a phrase wasoxygen used once. “The Hubski ecosystem.” That feels more accurate to me personally. You are wedded to the “c” word and maybe I shouldn’t quibble about that either. Hubski is, after all, one of my favorite pieces of illusory space and I look forward to posting and commenting until they come and take me away.
People who are open to ideas will remain so. Someone who wants to remain ignorant of what other people have to say aren't going to change just because they don't have the option of ignoring or muting. Removing the other protective utilities of ignore/mute just for them is not a great choice, in my opinion.If a coworker says something really irritating – I can’t just mute him. Here, one can. This is a source of ongoing mild anxiety for me, as I take all sorts of positions that I know are liable to irritate people – not for the purpose of irritating them but because I believe the ideas are valid. If someone says “bad idea -- here’s why…” Bravo! A rational discourse is born! If they think “I don’t like this idea and don’t care to discuss it,” that’s ok too. At least they haven’t closed the door. If, on the other hand, they think “e.m.c. believes X so he’s an idiot I’m going to ignore,” yeah, that bothers me.
Pretty much how I feel about it.With regard to the community idea – I’m not knocking what you have. There are some very interesting and likable people on here and I, too, care about them. It is just that the reality of online associations is that you can easily adopt quiet a low threshold of tolerance and get by with it. If a coworker says something really irritating – I can’t just mute him. Here, one can. This is a source of ongoing mild anxiety for me, as I take all sorts of positions that I know are liable to irritate people – not for the purpose of irritating them but because I believe the ideas are valid. If someone says “bad idea -- here’s why…” Bravo! A rational discourse is born! If they think “I don’t like this idea and don’t care to discuss it,” that’s ok too. At least they haven’t closed the door. If, on the other hand, they think “e.m.c. believes X so he’s an idiot I’m going to ignore,” yeah, that bothers me. We live in a world in which that happens all too often. Personally, I know many decent and worthwhile people who entertain what I think are some pretty weak ideas. They don’t merit my contempt because I think that they are wrong. On the other hand, I shouldn’t whine about the consequences of being me.